Power tool communication system

ABSTRACT

A mobile device and method for determining power tool attendance. The mobile device and method are able to generate a list of power tools that are missing based on being outside of communication range with the mobile device. For example, the mobile device includes a short-range transceiver, a memory, and a processor coupled to the memory and the short-range transceiver. The processor is configured to receive a list of a first plurality of power tools and receive, via a user interface, a selection to detect nearby tools. The processor is also configured to receive, via the short-range transceiver, identification signals from a second plurality of power tools and determine that a subset of the first plurality of power tools is missing based on the identification signals. The processor is further configured to generate an indication that the subset of the first plurality of power tools is missing.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.15/183,445, filed Jun. 15, 2016, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,339,496, whichclaims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/175,957,filed on Jun. 15, 2015, the entire contents of all of which are herebyincorporated by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to methods and systems of maintaininginventory systems for power tool devices, and generating reports forpower tool devices.

SUMMARY

In one embodiment, the invention provides a method of adding a powertool device to an inventory list. The method includes receiving, via auser interface, a request to add a nearby power tool device andreceiving, via a short-range transceiver, identification from aplurality of power tool devices. The method also includes displaying,via the user interface, the identification information of the pluralityof power tool device and receiving, via the user interface, a selectionof a power tool device from the plurality of power tool devices. Themethod further includes adding, using a processor, the power tool deviceto the inventory list.

In one embodiment, the invention provides a method of analyzing metricsfor a power tool device. The method includes receiving, via ashort-range transceiver, identification signals from a plurality ofpower tool devices and displaying, via a user interface, identificationinformation of the plurality of power tool devices. The method alsoincludes receiving, via the user interface, a selection of a power tooldevice to be analyzed from the plurality of power tool devices andreceiving, via the short-range transceiver, metrics informationregarding the power tool device in response to the selection of thepower tool device to be analyzed. The method further includesdisplaying, via the user interface, metrics information of the powertool device.

In one embodiment, the invention provides a method for determining powertool attendance. The method includes receiving a list of a firstplurality of power tools and receiving, via a user interface, aselection to detect nearby tools. The method also includes receiving,via a short-range transceiver, identification signals from a secondplurality of power tools and determining, using a processor, that asubset of the first plurality of power tools is missing based on theidentification signals. The method further includes generating, usingthe processor, an indication that the subset of the first plurality ofpower tools is missing.

In one embodiment, the invention provides a communication systemincluding a communicating power tool device and a non-communicatingpower tool device. The communicating power tool device can communicatewirelessly with a mobile external device. The mobile external deviceincluding a processor configured to receive information from an externalserver regarding the communicating power tool device, receiveinformation from the user regarding the non-communicating power tooldevice, and group the communicating power tool wireless device and thenon-communicating power tool device together as a single inventory.

In another embodiment the invention provides a method of determiningwhether any power tool devices are missing from an inventory. The methodincludes receiving a list of power tool devices from a remote server,directly communicating with a plurality of power tool devices,generating a list of the plurality of power tool devices; comparing thelist of power tool devices received from the remote server and theplurality of devices, and determining whether a power tool device ismissing.

Other aspects of the invention will become apparent by consideration ofthe detailed description and accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a communication system according to one embodiment ofthe invention.

FIG. 2 illustrates a schematic diagram of a wireless communicationmodule in communicating power tool devices.

FIG. 3 illustrates a schematic diagram of the communication system.

FIG. 4 illustrates an exemplary home page for the inventory andreporting application.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a method implemented to add a newpower tool device.

FIGS. 6A-B illustrate exemplary screenshots of pages for adding a powertool device from a connected manufacturer.

FIG. 7 illustrates an exemplary screenshot of pages for adding a powertool device from a disconnected manufacturer.

FIG. 8 illustrates an edit screen for one of the power tool devices.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart for the method of launching an application at amobile electronic station.

FIG. 10 illustrates an exemplary inventory screen.

FIG. 11 illustrates an exemplary filters screen.

FIGS. 12A-C illustrate exemplary screenshots showing filters that can beapplied on an inventory and reporting application.

FIG. 13 is a flowchart illustrating a method of adding a new power tooldevice on a mobile electronic device.

FIG. 14 illustrates an exemplary screen to add a power tool device.

FIG. 15 illustrates an exemplary list of nearby power tool devices thatare not in the inventory.

FIG. 16 illustrates an exemplary screen including information receivedfrom a communicating power tool device.

FIG. 17 illustrates an exemplary screen to search for a power tooldevice from a connected manufacturer.

FIGS. 18A-G illustrate exemplary guide screens that allow the user toinput information for adding a power tool device to the inventory.

FIGS. 19A-F illustrate exemplary editing screens to allow the user toedit information associated with a power tool device.

FIG. 20 is a flowchart illustrating a method for implementing a toolattendance feature.

FIG. 21 illustrates a schematic diagram illustrating the concept ofinventory sectioning.

FIG. 22 is a flowchart illustrating a method for implementing aninventory sectioning feature.

FIG. 23 illustrates an exemplary home screen for a crimper.

FIG. 24 is a cross-sectional view of a crimper.

FIG. 25 is a flowchart illustrating a method for generating reports fromthe inventory and reporting application.

FIG. 26 illustrates a second exemplary home screen for the crimper.

FIG. 27 illustrates a start reporting page on a mobile external device.

FIG. 28 illustrates a start reporting page with an expanded date field.

FIG. 29 illustrates an exemplary information screen.

FIG. 30 illustrates an exemplary alert screen.

FIG. 31 illustrates an exemplary report screen.

FIG. 32 is a flowchart illustrating a method for determining power toolattendance.

FIG. 33 is a flowchart illustrating a method for adding power tooldevices to an inventory list.

FIG. 34 is a flowchart illustrating a method for analyzing metrics for apower tool device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Before any embodiments of the invention are explained in detail, it isto be understood that the invention is not limited in its application tothe details of construction and the arrangement of components set forthin the following description or illustrated in the following drawings.The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced orof being carried out in various ways.

It should be noted that a plurality of hardware and software baseddevices, as well as a plurality of different structural components maybe utilized to implement the invention. Furthermore, and as described insubsequent paragraphs, the specific configurations illustrated in thedrawings are intended to exemplify embodiments of the invention and thatother alternative configurations are possible. The terms “processor”“central processing unit” and “CPU” are interchangeable unless otherwisestated. Where the terms “processor” or “central processing unit” or“CPU” are used as identifying a unit performing specific functions, itshould be understood that, unless otherwise stated, those functions canbe carried out by a single processor, or multiple processors arranged inany form, including parallel processors, serial processors, tandemprocessors or cloud processing/cloud computing configurations.

FIG. 1 illustrates a power tool communication system 100. The power toolcommunication system 100 includes, among other things, a plurality ofpower tool devices 104 a-d, a mobile electronic device 108, a remoteserver 112, a network 114, and an external device 116. The power tooldevices 104 a-d include power tools and devices used in relation to theoperation of power tools. For example, the power tool devices 104 a-dcan include a power tool battery charger 104 a, a battery pack 104 b,power tools 104 c-d, as well as other devices used in conjunction withthe power tools. Each power tool 104 c-d may be the same tool or may bedifferent tools. Accordingly, each power tool 104 c-d is configured toperform one or more specific tasks (e.g., drilling, cutting, fastening,pressing, lubricant application, sanding, heating, grinding, bending,forming, impacting, polishing, lighting, etc.). The task associated witheach of the power tools 104 c-d may also be referred to as the primaryfunction(s) of the power tool 104 c-d. The power tool devices 104 in thecommunication system 100 are representative and exemplary. Thecommunication system 100 may include more or fewer power tool devices104 and various combinations of power tool devices 104. Similarly, thepower tool devices 104 in the communication system 100 may be from thesame or different manufacturers.

As shown in FIG. 2, some of the power tool devices 104 a-c include,among other things, a wireless communication module 109 (also referredto as a wireless communication controller 109) and a back-up powersupply 110. The wireless communication module 109 is coupled to acontroller 118 of the power tool device 104, a main power source 119 forthe power tool device 104 (e.g., a battery pack and/or a wall outlet),and to a back-up power supply 110. The wireless communication module 109includes a radio transceiver and antenna 111, a memory 113, a processor115, and, in some embodiments, a real-time clock (RTC) 117. The wirelesscommunication module 109 is configured to receive data from thecontroller 118 of the power tool device 104, and relay the informationto the mobile electronic device 108 via the antenna and transceiver 111.In a similar manner, the wireless communication module 109 is configuredto receive information (e.g., configuration and programming information)from the mobile electronic device 108 via the antenna and transceiver111 and relay the information to the power tool controller 118.

The memory 113 of the wireless communication module 109 can store datarelated to communications between the power tool 104 and the mobileelectronic device 108. The processor 115 for the wireless communicationmodule 109 controls wireless communications between the power tool 104and the mobile electronic device 108. For example, the processor 115associated with the wireless communication module 109 buffers incomingand/or outgoing data, communicates with the controller 118 of the powertool device 104, and determines the communication protocol and/orsettings to use in wireless communications. The wireless communicationmodule 109 receives electrical power from the main power source 119 andfrom the secondary power supply (e.g., back-up power supply 110) basedon which power supply is available. When the main power source 119 isconnected to the power tool device 104 and the main power source 119holds sufficient power, the main power source 119 provides electricalpower to the wireless communication module 109. If, on the other hand,the main power source 119 is not connected to the power supply, theback-up power supply 110 provides power to the wireless communicationmodule 109. The back-up power supply 110, however, has limited supply ofpower and could be quickly drained if used to power significantelectronic data exchange between the power tool devices 104 and themobile electronic device 108. Therefore, in some embodiments, when theback-up power supply 110 powers the wireless communication module 109,the power tool device 104 outputs (e.g., broadcasts) only identificationinformation for the power tool device 104, but does not enable furtherdata exchange between the power tool device 104 and the mobileelectronic device 108.

In some embodiments, the back-up power supply is a coin cell battery.The coin cell battery is removable from the power tool device 104 andis, therefore, located in an accessible area of the power tool device104. In many embodiments, the back-up power supply 110 is accessed andreplaced by the user/operator of the power tool device 104. In otherembodiments, however, the back-up power supply 110 is located in ahard-to-access portion of the power tool device, and is replaced by aprofessional serviceman. For instance, rather than being located in adedicated battery recess separate from the motor and other circuitry andaccessible via a sliding or removable door on the tool housing, theback-up power supply 110 may require opening the main housing using oneor more tools.

In the illustrated embodiment, the wireless communication module 109 isa Bluetooth® controller. The Bluetooth® controller communicates with themobile electronic device 108 employing the Bluetooth® protocol.Therefore, in the illustrated embodiment, the mobile electronic device108 and the power tool 104 are within a communication range (i.e., inproximity) of each other while they exchange data. In other embodiments,the wireless communication module 109 communicates using other protocols(e.g., Wi-Fi, cellular protocols, etc.) over a different type ofwireless networks. For example, the wireless communication module 109may be configured to communicate via Wi-Fi through a wide area networksuch as the Internet or a local area network, or to communicate througha piconet (e.g., using infrared or NFC communications). Thecommunication via the communication module 109 may be encrypted toprotect the data exchanged between the power tool 104 and the mobileelectronic device 108 from third parties.

The RTC 117 increments and keeps time independently of the other powertool components. In the illustrated embodiment, the RTC 117 is poweredthrough the wireless communication module 109 when the wirelesscommunication module 109 is powered. In some embodiments, however, theRTC 117 is a separate component from the wireless communication module109. In such embodiments, the RTC 117 receives power from the main powersource 119 when the battery pack is connected to the power tool 104 andreceives power from the back-up power supply 110 when the battery packis not connected to the power tool 104. Therefore, the RTC 117 keepstrack of time regardless of whether the power tool 104 is in operation,and regardless of whether the battery pack is connected to the powertool 104. When no power source is present (i.e., the battery pack isdetached from the power tool 104 and the back-up power supply 110 isremoved or depleted), the RTC 117 stores the last valid time. When apower source is replaced (i.e., the battery pack is attached to thepower tool 104 or/and the coin cell 110 is replaced), the RTC 117 usesthe stored time as a starting point to resume keeping time.

Other power tool devices (e.g., power tool 104 d), however, do notcommunicate with the mobile electronic device 108, and therefore do notinclude the wireless communication module 109. In some embodiments, someof the power tool devices may include a wireless communication module109, but may not be configured to communicate with the mobile electronicdevice 108 because, for example, the wireless communication module 109utilizes a different communication protocol, and/or the power tooldevice 104 does not know how to interpret the instructions from themobile electronic device 108.

In some embodiments, the mobile electronic device 108 is a dedicatedelectronic device. In other words, the mobile electronic device 108 isspecifically manufactured to communicate with the power tool devices 104and the remote server 112. In some embodiments, the dedicated electronicdevice may include a ruggedized exterior to withstand the environmentalconditions of different worksites.

In other embodiments, the mobile electronic device 108 is not adedicated electronic device and is configured to perform variousfunctions not related to communicating with power tools 104. Forexample, the mobile electronic device 108 may be configured to placephone calls, play videos, share media, etc. The mobile electronic device108 may be, for example, a laptop computer, a tablet computer, asmartphone, a cellphone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), or anotherelectronic device capable of communicating wirelessly with thecommunicating power tool devices 104 a-c and providing a graphical userinterface.

The communicating power tool devices 104 a-c may communicate power toolstatus, power tool operation statistics, power tool identification,stored power tool usage information, power tool maintenance data,battery pack identification, battery pack stored voltage, battery packcharge and discharge characteristics, and the like to the mobileelectronic device 108. Therefore, by using the mobile electronic device108, a user can access stored power tool device usage or power tooldevice maintenance data. The mobile electronic device 108 can alsotransmit data to each of the communicating power tool devices 104 a-cfor power tool configuration, firmware updates, or to send commands(e.g., turn on work light). The mobile electronic device 108 also allowsa user to set operational parameters, safety parameters, selectoperating modes, and the like for the communicating power tool devices104 a-c.

The mobile electronic device 108 can also establish wirelesscommunication with the remote server 112 through the network 114. Themobile electronic device 108 can forward to the remote server 112 atleast some of the information received from the communicating power tooldevices 104 a-c. For example, the mobile electronic device 108 canforward new user-defined tool modes, power tool usage information, newidentification information, power tool device status, and the like. Theremote server 112 provides additional storage and processing power andthereby enables the communication system 100 to encompass more powertool devices 104 a-d without being limited to the storage and processingcapabilities of the mobile electronic device 108. Furthermore, theremote server 112 can also communicate with the external device 116through the network 114 or through a different network to provideadditional functionality.

The external device 116 may be, for example, a laptop computer, adesktop computer, a workstation from a local network, or another deviceconfigured to communicate with the remote server 112 through the network114. The remote server 112 can forward the information received from themobile electronic device 108 to the external device 116 through thenetwork 114. Forwarding the information allows other users, who may, forexample, be at a remote location from the power tool devices 104 a-d andthe mobile electronic device 108, to receive information regardingvarious parameters, characteristics, and status of the power tooldevices 104 a-d. The external device 116 can also generate and send newinformation to update data on the server 112, the mobile electronicdevice 108, and the communicating power tool devices 104 a-c. Forexample, the external device 116 can assign locations for the specifictool devices, and the like.

In some implementations, the power tool devices 104 a-d are owned by alarger entity (e.g., a contracting company). The larger entity thenallows specific users (e.g., operators) to use the power tool devices104 a-d to perform specific tasks related to a project. Establishing thecommunication system 100 between power tool devices 104 a-d and theelectronic devices 108, 112, 116 allows individual users and/or largerentities to accurately control, manage, maintain, and operate largegroups of power tool devices without cumbersome tracking, inventory, andprogramming methods.

In particular, the communication system 100 implements an inventorysystem. The inventory system provides information regarding the numberof power tool devices 104 a-d in the communication system 100, thelocation of the power tool devices 104 a-d, the status of the power tooldevices 104 a-d, the purchasing information of the power tool devices104 a-d, and the like. The inventory information gathered and providedby the inventory system allows users (e.g., buyers) to buy desiredand/or necessary tool devices, arrange for maintenance of tool devices,and track the power tool devices 104 a-d.

For the inventory system, the server 112 stores an inventory database145 (as shown in FIG. 3). The inventory database 145 includes userprofiles and power tool device information. The inventory database 145stores information regarding each power tool device 104 such as, forexample, serial and/or model number, a customized name associated withthe power tool device 104, a digital photograph or image associated withthe power tool device 104, a category for the power tool device 104(e.g., drill, impact wrench, power generator, etc.), maintenanceinformation, purchasing information, location information, tool deviceusage data associated it the power tool device 104, and the like. Theinventory database 145 also stores user profiles that indicate whichpower tool devices 104 are associated with each user. The inventorydatabase 145 may also store additional settings information for the userprofile such as identification information for each user (e.g., usernameand password) to properly identify each user, power tool devices theuser has been associated with in the past, sub-inventories associatedwith the user, information regarding power tool device purchases and thelike. In some embodiments, the inventory database 145 may also storesettings for the graphical user interface generated by the mobileelectronic device 108 and/or the external device 116. For example, theinventory database 145 may store display options or settings for todisplay power tool devices associated with a particular user.

Both the mobile electronic device 108 and the external device 116execute the inventory system and provide desired information to theuser. The mobile electronic device 108 and the external device 116 areable to synchronize the inventory information by communicating with theremote server 112 through the network 114. Therefore, a user can addand/or remove power tool devices from the inventory through the mobileelectronic device 108 and/or through the external device 116. Statedanother way, the mobile electronic device 108 and the external device116 provide user interfaces into an inventory database 145 primarilystored on the server 112.

FIG. 3 illustrates a schematic diagram of the components of thecommunication system 100. As shown in FIG. 3, the external device 116includes, among other things, a processor 120, a display 124, anexternal wireless communication controller 128 (e.g., a Wi-Ficommunication controller), and a memory 132. The external wirelesscommunication controller 128 allows the external device 116 to connectto the remote server 112 and exchange information regarding the powertools devices 104 a-d. The memory 132 stores a core application software134 that enables the external device 116 to execute an inventory andreporting application. The processor 120 accesses the core applicationsoftware 134 in memory 132 to generate a graphical user interface shownon the display 124. The processor 120 is also coupled to the externalwireless communication controller 128 to control the communication toand from the remote server 112.

The external device 116 launches the inventory and reporting applicationin response to a user input (e.g., selecting an icon, opening a webpage,etc.). When the external device 116 launches the inventory and reportingapplication, the external device 116 requests a user to input a username(e.g., e-mail address) and a password, thereby identifying him/herselfto the external device 116, to the inventory and reporting application,and to the server 112. Once the user has inputted his/her accountinformation, the external wireless communication controller 128communicates with the remote server 112 to ensure that the user is anauthorized user and to obtain information regarding the power tooldevices 104 that are specifically associated with the identified user.

As shown in FIG. 3, the remote server 112 includes a processor 136, anetwork interface 140, and a memory 144. The processor 136 is coupled tothe network interface 140 to allow communication with the mobileelectronic device 108 and the external device 116 through the network114. The processor 136 is also coupled to the memory 144 to store andaccess information associated with various users (for example, userprofiles 146) and information associated with various power tool devices(for example, power tool device information 147). In particular, theexternal device 116 receives a list of power tool devices and associatedinformation that are associated with the identified user.

As shown in FIG. 3, the power tools 104 a-c include a processor 105, amemory 106 and a short-range transceiver 149. In some embodiments, thetransceiver 149 is implemented as the wireless communication controller109. The memory 106 stores usage data 150, sensor data 151 andmaintenance data 153 of the power tools 104 a-c.

FIG. 4 illustrates an exemplary screenshot of a home screen 148 of theinventory and reporting application launched by the external device 116.As shown in FIG. 4, the inventory and reporting application displays alist 152 of power tool devices 104 associated with a particular user.The power tool devices 104 are arranged by category. For example, allthe batteries associated with the identified user are listed underbatteries, while the impact power tools are listed under the category“Drivers & Impacts.” In the illustrated embodiment, the user can createand delete categories according to his/her preferences. Listing thepower tool devices 104 according to their category allows a user toeasily identify particular power tool devices and gain a betterunderstanding of the variety of the power tool devices in his/herpossession. As shown in FIG. 4, the list 152 of power tool devices 104also indicates a number of power tool devices 104 per category. Forexample, a user can easily determine how many impact drills are in theinventory and compare that to the number of battery packs compatiblewith the impact drills. Such easy access to the inventory informationmay allow the user to make more informed decisions regarding thepurchases, maintenance, and general tracking of the power tool devices104.

As also shown in FIG. 4, the inventory and reporting application alsoreceives other information associated with the power tool devices 104from the remote server 112. For example, the inventory and reportingapplication displays an image (e.g., a photograph) of the power tooldevice, a manufacturer, a description (e.g., what the power tool deviceis and/or specific characteristics of the power tool device), a modeland/or serial number, a specific device number (e.g., a tool number bywhich the manufacturer identifies the type of power tool device), and alocation (e.g., an assigned location, a last known location, a purchaselocation, etc.). In some embodiments, the inventory and reportingapplication also receives a customized name for the power tool device104 (e.g., Bob's Tool) that allows a user to more readily identify thepower tool device listed by the inventory and reporting application.

The home screen 148 illustrates the list 152 of the power tool devicesassociated with the identified user, a search bar 156, a filters option160, and an add item option 164. The search bar 156 allows a user tosearch for a particular power tool device by keywords (e.g., impactdrill or 18V pack). The filters option 160 allows the user to restrictthe display of the power tool devices 104 to only those power tooldevices that meet certain criteria. In the illustrated embodiment, afilter can be applied according to a manufacturer, a category, and alocation. In other embodiments, other filters can be used in addition orinstead of the filters in the illustrated embodiment. In someembodiments, the user can select which filters are available. A user canselect the add item option 164 to add a new power tool device 104 to theinventory associated with the identified user.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of the process 165 of adding a new power tooldevice to the inventory using the external device 116. First, the useris requested to identify the manufacturer of the power tool device (step170). In some embodiments, the user is requested to specify themanufacturer for the power tool device 104. In other embodiments,identifying the manufacturer includes using a particular search boxapplicable only to some or to one manufacturer. The external device 116communicates and/or has access to a server associated with at least onemanufacturer. If the external device 116 can communicate with the serverof a specific manufacturer or a server having power tool deviceinformation of the manufacturer (e.g., maintained by a third party),this manufacturer is referred to as a connected manufacturer. If theuser adds a power tool device 104 associated with a connectedmanufacturer, the user searches for a particular tool device 104 using,for example, a tool device number (step 174) as shown in FIG. 6A. Theexternal device 116 (e.g., the inventory and control application)receives a query for a particular power tool device and thencommunicates with the server of the connected manufacturer to obtain alist of power tool devices matching the search query. The inventory andreporting application then receives power tool device information fromthe connected server and displays a list of power tool devices to theuser on the external device 116. The user can then select the desiredpower tool device from the search results provided by the inventory andreporting application (step 176). The external device 116 (e.g., theinventory and control application) receives an indication of the user'sselection and communicates with the connected server to obtain some ofthe power tool device information from the manufacturer (step 178). Inthe illustrated embodiment, the external device 116 obtains an image ofthe power tool device, a model number, and a description of the powertool device. The external device 116 may also automatically categorizethe power tool device based on the information received from the server.In the illustrated example, the power tool device selected to be addedto the inventory is an impact driver. Accordingly, the external device116 categorizes the impact driver under the “Drivers and Impacts”category. In some embodiments, the category to which the power tooldevice belongs is also communicated from the manufacturer to theexternal device 116.

As shown in FIG. 6B, a user can add further information regarding theselected power tool device 104 (step 182). For example, the user canselect a quantity of the same power tool devices that are being added, apurchase location, a value (e.g., purchasing price), a location (e.g.,an assigned location for the power tool device), and order anditemization information. Once the user has entered the requestedinformation, or the necessary information, the user can save the enteredinformation by clicking a save button (step 186). After the user hassaved all of the entered information for the power tool device 104, theexternal device 116 displays the new power tool device on the list 152of power tool devices associated with the identified user (step 190).

In some embodiments, some of the information received by the inventoryand reporting application is required to save a new power tool device(e.g., a device number associated with the power tool device), and someof the information is optional (e.g., a customized name for the powertool device). In other words, while a minimum set of information isrequired to add a new power tool device 104 to the inventory, some ofthe information is optional and the power tool device can be added withor without the additional information. For example, a user may berequired to enter a tool number and a tool name, but may not be requiredto enter a location and/or purchasing price. In such embodiments, theexternal unit 116 may receive the required information from themanufacturer server and allow the user to add in any optionalinformation. Such embodiments allow a user to search, select the desiredpower tool device, and save without further data entry, which makes theprocess of adding power tool devices 104 to the inventory faster.

If, on the other hand, the user wishes to add a power tool device from amanufacturer that is not connected to the external device 116 (e.g.,power tool device 104 d), the inventory and control application displaysa screen with empty text boxes to be filled by the user (step 194). Theuser then inputs the information for the power tool device (step 198).Notably, in such embodiments, the external device 116 does not populatethe text boxes with information received from the remote server 112.Rather, the text boxes remain blank for the user to fill them in, asshown in FIG. 7. Once the user inputs the information for the power tooldevice, the user saves the information by, for example, clicking a savebutton (step 186). The new power tool device is then displayed on theinventory list 152 (step 190).

When the inventory has been altered (e.g., due to an addition of a powertool device and/or due to loss of a power tool device), the inventoryand control application on the external device 116 communicates with theserver 112 to update the stored information regarding the inventory. Theremote server 112 stores the new information for the inventoryassociated with the user. The next time the user accesses the inventoryand reporting application on the external device 116 or on the mobileelectronic device 108, the inventory and reporting application woulddisplay the most recent inventory information for the user.

Referring back to FIG. 4, each power tool device 104 also includes anedit icon 195 and a delete icon 196. Even after the power tool device104 has been added to the user's inventory, a user can edit theinformation associated with the power tool device 104 by selecting theedit icon 195. When the user selects the edit icon 195, the inventoryand reporting application displays an edit screen 197 as shown in FIG.8. The user can change the category, the location, the tool number, theserial number, the purchase location, the purchase value, and the notesassociated with the power tool device. Some of the fields such as, forexample, the description or the model number are only editable whenother fields such as, for example, the serial number and/or the toolnumber are changed. In other words, when the serial number and/or thetool number is changed, the description and the model number fieldsbecome editable.

A user can alternatively or additionally access the inventory andreporting application via the mobile electronic device 108. For example,a user can add power tool devices to his/her inventory through themobile electronic device 108. As shown in FIG. 3, the mobile electronicdevice 108 includes a processor 200, a short-range transceiver 204, anetwork communication interface 208, a touch display 212, and a memory216. The processor 200 is coupled to the short-range transceiver 204,the network communication interface 208, the touch display 212, and thememory 216. The short-range transceiver 204 is configured to communicatewith a compatible transceiver within the power tool devices 104 a-c. Theshort-range transceiver 204 can also communicate with other electronicdevices. The network communication interface 208 communicates with thenetwork 114 to enable communication with the remote server 112. Thecommunication interface 208 may include circuitry that enables themobile electronic device 108 to communicate with the network 114. Insome embodiments, the network 114 may be an Internet network, a cellularnetwork, another network, or a combination thereof.

The memory 216 of the mobile electronic device 108 also stores coreapplication software 220. FIG. 9 illustrates the process 223 executed bythe processor 200 when launching the mobile inventory and reportingapplication. The processor 200 accesses the core application software220 in memory 216, and launches a mobile version of the inventory andreporting application (step 224). When the mobile electronic device 108launches the mobile inventory and reporting application, the mobileelectronic device 108 communicates with the remote server 112 to providea user identification (e.g., username and password). The server 112accesses the inventory database 113 with the user identificationinformation to generate a list of power tool devices 104 associated withthe user, and provides the list of power tool devices 104 to the mobileelectronic device 108. The mobile electronic device 108, in turn,receives the list of power tool devices 104 associated with a particularuser (step 228). In the illustrated embodiment, the user does notprovide a username and password each time the mobile inventory andreporting application is launched. Rather, when an initial install ofthe mobile inventory and reporting application is performed to downloadthe core application software 220 to the memory 216, a user provideshis/her identification information. The mobile inventory and reportingapplication may then store identification information for the particularmobile electronic device 108 and associate the mobile electronic devicewith a particular user.

Once the mobile electronic device 108 receives the list of power tooldevices 104 associated with the user from the server 112, the mobileelectronic device 108 displays the list of associated power tool deviceson the touch display 212 (step 232). Similar to the list 152 shown inFIG. 4, the mobile electronic device 108 also categorizes the power tooldevices to provide the user with readily accessible informationregarding the inventory of power tool devices associated with the user,as shown in the exemplary inventory screen 236 in FIG. 10. In theillustrated embodiment, the inventory includes two power tool devices104 that are uncategorized. As with the external device 116, the mobileelectronic device 108 also includes a total count of the power tooldevices 104 under any one category. In other embodiments, the inventorymay include more or less power tool devices that may be categorizeddifferently.

When the mobile electronic device 108 receives information from theserver 112 regarding the power tool devices 104 associated with theidentified user, the mobile electronic device 108 also determines thestate of the power tool devices 104. The mobile electronic device 108determines the state or status of the power tool devices 104 based oncommunication with the power tool devices 104 themselves. The power tooldevices 104 can be in a connectable state, an advertisement state, anout of range state, or an unconnectable state. When the power tooldevice 104 is in the connectable state, the power tool device 104 hassufficient energy (e.g., because the power tool device 104 is connectedto a battery pack) to begin data exchange between the power tool device104 and the mobile electronic device 108. In the connectable state, thepower tool device 104 communicates a tool number, a customized name, andan indication that sufficient power for data exchange is available. Theinventory and reporting application indicates that the power tool deviceis in the connectable state by showing a communication symbol 238 nextto the power tool device 104. The power tool device 104 is in anadvertisement state when the power tool device is not connected to amain power source (e.g., a battery pack) that may provide sufficientenergy to sustain data exchange. Rather, in the advertisement state, thepower tool device 104 receives power only through the back-up powersupply 110. When the power tool device 104 is in the advertisementstate, the power tool device 104 does not have sufficient energy tosustain data exchange, but the power tool device 104 communicates thecustomized name, a tool device number, and/or a state of charge of asecondary battery. The inventory and reporting application indicatesthat the power tool device is in the advertisement state by graying outor not showing the communication symbol 238 and/or by graying out thepower tool device.

When the power tool device 104 is out of range, the inventory andreporting application also show the power tool device 104 grayed out.Finally, when the power tool device 104 is in the unconnectable state,the power tool device 104 is not configured to communicate with themobile electronic device 108. For example, power tool 104 d is notconfigured to communicate with the mobile electronic device and wouldtherefore be in the unconnectable state. The inventory and reportingapplication also show unconnectable power tool devices 104 in a grayedout form. In other embodiments, different ways of indicating the statusof the power tool devices 104 are implemented. In particular, in someembodiments, each state of the power tool device is illustrated (e.g.,using different colors for the symbol 238, showing different symbols,and/or including an information column that explicitly indicates thestate of the power tool device 104) differently than another state ofthe power tool device 104 to readily be able to identify the state ofthe power tool device 104.

The inventory screen 236 includes a search box 240, a menu option 244,and an add item option 248. The search box 240 allows a user to searchwithin his/her inventory for a particular tool using keywords. Thekeywords may be associated with a customized name of the power tool, adescription of the power tool, a location, a model or serial number,etc. The menu option 244 may allow the user to select how to display thelist of associated power tool devices 104. For example, the menu option244 may allow the user to display the power tool devices according tothe location, the manufacturer, etc. As shown in FIG. 11, the menuoption 244 may allow the user to set different filters to display only aportion of the associated power tool devices. In the illustratedembodiment, the user may set filters according to manufacturer (see FIG.12A), category (see FIG. 12B), location (see FIG. 12C), etc.

The user may select the add item option 248 to add a power tool deviceto his/her inventory through the mobile inventory and reportingapplication. FIG. 13 illustrates the process 249 of adding a new powertool device using the mobile electronic device 108. First, the userselects the add item option 248 from the inventory screen 236 (step250). In response to the selection of the add item option 248, themobile electronic device 108, in particular the inventory and reportingapplication, displays an add item screen 252 as shown in FIG. 14. Theadd item screen 252 provides the user two methods for adding a new powertool device. The user can identify the manufacturer of the power tooldevice 104 similar to how a manufacturer was identified through theexternal device 116 (options 256 and 260), or the user can add acommunicating power tool device 104 that is nearby by establishingcommunication with the nearby power tool device 104 (option 264).

When the user wishes to add a nearby power tool device 104, the userselects the nearby device option 264. In response to receiving thenearby device option 264, the mobile inventory and reporting applicationbroadcasts a ping signal from the mobile electronic device 108 to thepower tool devices within the communication range of the mobileelectronic device 108 (step 270). Only those power tool devices 104 thatare within the communication range of the mobile electronic device 108and that are configured to communicate wirelessly with the mobileelectronic device 108 (e.g., the communicating power tool devices 104a-c) respond to the ping signal from the mobile electronic device 108.The inventory and reporting application then receives responses from thecommunicating power tool devices 104 a-c within the communication range(step 274). The responses from the communicating power tool devices 104a-c include identification information for each power tool device. Theidentification information includes, for example, a customized nameassociated with the power tool device, a model number, a uniqueidentifier, a tool number, etc. In some embodiments, the power tooldevices 104 periodically broadcast the identification information forthe power tool device 104 without requiring a ping signal from themobile electronic device 108 to be received. In such embodiments, step270 in which the mobile electronic device 108 sends a ping signal to thepower tool devices 104 nearby is bypassed.

The inventory and reporting application then compares the receivedresponses to the power tool devices already in the inventory (step 278).If a received response corresponds to a power tool device 104 that isalready part of the inventory, the inventory and reporting applicationdoes not display that power tool device 104 to the user and continues tocheck the rest of the responses (step 282). If, on the other hand, thereceived response corresponds to a power tool device 104 that is notpart of the inventory, the inventory and reporting application displaysthe power tool device 104 to the user (step 286). Thereby, the inventoryand reporting application only displays those power tool devices 104that are nearby and that are not already part of the inventory for theuser.

FIG. 15 illustrates a list generated by the inventory and reportingapplication that identifies the power tool devices that are nearby andnot yet part of the user's inventory. The user can then select the newpower tool device 104 that he/she wishes to add to his/her inventory(step 290). The mobile electronic device 108 then communicates with theselected communicating power tool device 104 a-c to obtain informationfor the selected communicating power tool device 104 a-c (step 294). Thecommunicating power tool device 104 a-c then forwards identification andother information to the mobile electronic device 108 to add theselected communicating power tool device 104 a-c to the user's inventory(step 298). The mobile inventory and reporting application, upon receiptof the identification and other information from the communicating powertool device 104 a-c, displays the received information to the user asshown in FIG. 16 (step 302). The user can verify the informationreceived from the selected communicating power tool device 104 a-c, andclick save. The mobile inventory and reporting application then savesthe received information and adds the power tool device to the user'sinventory (step 326). If the information received from the power tooldevice is not complete (e.g., the power tool device 104 may notcommunicate a category), the user can add and/or edit informationreceived from the communicating power tool device. In some embodiments,the identification information provided in step 274 is sufficient togenerate a new entry (i.e., add the power tool device 104) to the user'sinventory, and steps 294-302 are bypassed.

Enabling the user to add power tool devices that are nearby saves asignificant amount of time because the user no longer has to manuallysearch for a particular power tool device, input necessary information,etc. Instead, the mobile inventory and reporting applicationautomatically determines which of the nearby power tool devices 104 arenot yet part of the user's inventory and requests information for theinventory from the power tool devices 104 directly.

Referring back to FIG. 13, the user can alternatively choose to add apower tool device 104 without using the nearby device option 264.Rather, the user can add a power tool device 104 from a connectedmanufacturer by selecting the connected manufacturer option 256. Inresponse to detecting the selection of the connected manufacturer option256, the inventory and reporting application (e.g., the processorexecuting the core application software) displays a search bar 306 (FIG.17). The user then searches for the desired power tool device using amodel number, serial number, tool number, etc. (step 310). The mobileelectronic device 108 communicates with the remote server 112. Theremote server 112 communicates with a server associated with theconnected manufacturer. Based on the search criteria from the user, themobile electronic device 108 receives a set of search results includingvarious power tool devices. The user then selects the desired power tooldevice from the search results (step 314). The mobile electronic device108 then communicates the user's selection to the remote server 112 andreceives information regarding the selected power tool device from theremote server 112 (step 318). The mobile electronic device 108 populatestext boxes or selections with the information received from the remoteserver 112.

The user can then add more information regarding the selected power tooldevice 104, if the user, for example, wishes to input more informationor additional notes (step 322). When the information has been gatheredregarding the new power tool device 104, the user selects a “save”option, and the inventory and reporting application saves theinformation and adds the new power tool device to the user's inventory(step 326). The inventory and reporting application then displays thenew power tool device 104 as part of the list 152 of power tool devicesin the user's inventory (step 330).

Referring back to FIG. 13 again, the user can alternatively select toadd a power tool device from a disconnected manufacturer by selectingthe disconnected manufacturer option 260 (FIG. 14). In response todetecting that the user selected the disconnected manufacturer option260, the inventory and reporting application guides the user bydisplaying various guide screens shown in FIGS. 18A-G for the user toinput information regarding the new power tool device (step 334). Theinventory and reporting application receives information such as a name338 for the power tool and the tool number 342 (FIG. 18A), purchaseinformation such as, for example, purchase location 346, a value (e.g.,price) 350 (FIGS. 18B-C). When entering purchase information, the usercan also take a picture of, for example, a purchase order or a purchasereceipt and save the image under the purchasing information for thatpower tool device 104 (FIG. 18C). The inventory and reportingapplication also receives an indication of the category for the powertool device 104 (FIGS. 18D-E). The user can also incorporate other notesfor the power tool device 104 (FIG. 18F) and take a picture of the powertool device 104 to readily identify it (FIG. 18G). Once the user inputsthe information regarding the new power tool device 104, the inventoryand reporting application saves the information and adds the power tooldevice 104 to the user's inventory (step 354).

Once the power tool devices 104 have been added to the user's inventory,the power tool devices are displayed as part of the user's inventory.Referring back to FIG. 10, a user can select each power tool device 104in his/her inventory and view/edit information regarding the power tooldevice 104. For example, as shown in FIGS. 18A-F, the user can edit theinformation associated with a power tool device 104 already part of theinventory. In the illustrated embodiment, the user selects a power tooldevice 104 (e.g., Bob's Tool). In response to the user selection of thepower tool device 104, the inventory and reporting application showslimited information regarding the power tool device 104. For example, asshown in FIG. 19A, the mobile inventory and reporting applicationdisplay the name 338 of the power tool device, the date 358 the powertool device was added, and the assigned or current location 362 of thepower tool device. As shown in FIG. 19A, the user can select to see moreinformation associated with the selected power tool device by selectingthe arrow 366 in FIG. 19A. In other embodiments, the inventory andreporting application may use different symbols and icons to indicatethat more information is available to the user.

In response to selecting the arrow 366, the inventory and reportingapplication displays a product information screen 370 for the selectedpower tool device as shown in FIG. 19B. The product information screen370 provides a summary of the product information associated with aselected power tool device 104. In the illustrated embodiment, theproduct information screen 370 includes information regarding the powertool device name 338, the model number 374, the assigned category 378,the assigned location 362, and an option to view more purchaseinformation 382. The product information screen 370 also includes anedit selector 386 that enables the user to edit the informationassociated with the power tool device 104.

In the illustrated embodiment, the selected power tool device (e.g.,Bob's Tool) does not include information regarding the category 378 ofpower tool device and the location 362 of the power tool device. Theuser then selects the edit selector 386 to add in a category and alocation for the power tool device (e.g., Bob's Tool). In response todetecting that the user clicked on the edit selector 386, the mobileinventory and reporting application displays an editable version of theproduct information screen 370. As shown in FIG. 19C, a user can thenedit the information associated with the power tool device. In theillustrated example, the user specifies a category 378 and a location362 for the power tool device, as shown in FIG. 19D. Once the user hasedited the desired information for the power tool device, the user canselect “save” to finalize editing the power tool device information.FIG. 19E shows an updated version of the product information screen 370with the edited information included (e.g., the category 378 and thelocation 362). FIG. 19F illustrates an updated version of the inventoryscreen 236 showing the edited power tool device (e.g., Bob's Tool) undera different category.

Executing the inventory and reporting application on the mobileelectronic device 108 also provides other features such as tool deviceattendance, inventory sectioning, and location tracking. Tool deviceattendance is a feature that allows users to determine whether the tooldevices 104 in his/her inventory are within a communication range of themobile electronic device 108, thus allowing a user to quickly identifywhether power tool devices 104 are missing and if so, which ones.

FIG. 20 illustrates a flowchart of a method 389 implementing tool deviceattendance. From the inventory screen 236, the user can select a “toolattendance” selector (step 390). In response to the user selecting the“tool attendance” selector, the mobile inventory and reportingapplication broadcasts a ping signal to the communicating power tooldevices 104 a-c (step 394). The communicating power tool devices 104a-c, in response to the ping signal, send a response signal to themobile electronic device 108 (step 398). The mobile electronic device108 then receives the response signals from each of the communicatingpower tool devices 104 a-c that are within the communication range ofthe mobile electronic device 108 (step 402). In some embodiments, thepower tool devices 104 periodically broadcast identification informationfor the power tool deice 104 without requiring a ping signal from themobile electronic device 108. In such embodiments, the mobile electronicdevice 108 detects which power tool devices 104 are nearby based on thebroadcast signals from the power tool devices 104.

The mobile inventory and reporting application then generates a list ofthe power tool devices 104 that sent a response signal (or those thatbroadcasted the power tool device identification information) to themobile electronic device 108 (step 406). The mobile inventory andreporting application compares the list of power tool devices 104 thatsent a response signal to the power tool devices 104 that are part ofthe user's inventory (step 410). Based on the comparison of the twolists, the mobile inventory and reporting application determines whichpower tool devices 104 from the user's inventory are not within acommunication range of the mobile electronic device 108 (step 414). Themobile inventory and reporting application displays a list of the“missing” power tool devices to the user (step 418). Since the user'sinventory may also include power tool devices that do not communicatewirelessly with the mobile electronic device 108 (e.g., power tool 104d), the inventory and reporting application also displays a list of thepower tool devices 104 that are not configured to communicate with themobile electronic device 108 (step 422). The inventory and controlapplication can also display, in response to a user selection, aseparate list of these power tool devices 104 that were found.

The user can determine, based on the list provided by the inventory andreporting application, how many power tool devices 14 are missing andwhich power tool devices 104 are missing. The user can also delete thesepower tool devices 104 from the inventory, or edit the informationassociated with these power tool devices 104. The tool attendancefeature can be implemented, for example, at the beginning of the workday to establish which tools are present at the particular worksite, atthe end of the work day to ensure that the tools which were present atthe beginning of the day are returned at the end of the day, and whentransporting tools from one jobsite to another to ensure that the powertool devices 104 were delivered to the appropriate jobsite. The user canalso save an attendance log including a time, date, and location stamp.The attendance log includes a listing of the power tool devices 104 thatwere nearby (e.g., found), and a separate listing the power tool devices104 that were in the user's inventory, but were not nearby (e.g.,missing).

Running the inventory and reporting application on the mobile electronicdevice 108 also enables inventory sectioning. While a large entity(e.g., a contracting company) may have too many power tool devices for amobile inventory and reporting application to conveniently track, anadministrator can divide and assign particular power tool devices 104 toparticular users (e.g., operators, foreman, crib manager, etc.). Theadministrator (e.g., a buyer) can run the inventory and reportingapplication on the external device 116 displaying the power tool devices104 owned by the large entity. However, to accurately and efficientlytrack the power tool devices 104, the administrator may separate thepower tool devices 104 into subsets, as illustrated in FIG. 21. Eachjobsite, for example, may be assigned a particular set of power tooldevices 104. A user (e.g., a foreman or crib manager) at the jobsite maymanage the inventory of the power tool devices 104 within the jobsite.The user at the jobsite may not have access to the other power tooldevices 104 that are owned by the large entity. Rather he/she can focuson the present jobsite and on efficiently managing the power tooldevices 104 within that jobsite. For example, operator X hassub-inventory including all tools shown in FIG. 21. Operator Y hassub-inventory including the tools shown as connected via dashed lines tooperator Y's mobile device 108. Operator Z has sub-inventory includingthe tools shown as connected via dashed lines to operator Z's mobiledevice 108.

FIG. 22 is flowchart illustrating an exemplary method 429 of sectioninga large inventory. First, an administrator at the external device 116launches the inventory and reporting application (step 430). Theadministrator at the external device 116 generates a sub-inventory basedon the entire inventory (step 434). The inventory and reportingapplication at the external device 116 generates the sub-inventory bygrouping specific power tool devices 104 together in response toreceiving a selection from a user of some power tool devices 104. Thesub-inventory is assigned a name so that the user can identify anddistinguish each sub-inventory from other sub-inventories. The inventoryand control application then assigns the sub-inventory to a particularuser (step 438), based on the administrator identifying the user for thesub-inventory. Once the inventory and reporting application generatesthe sub-inventory and assigns the sub-inventory to a particular user,the external device 116 communicates with the remote server 112 toupdate the inventory information (step 442). The server 112 stores thesub-inventory and the user to which it is assigned. A user at the mobileelectronic device 108 then launches the mobile inventory and reportingapplication (step 446). When the mobile inventory and reportingapplication is launched, the mobile electronic device 108 communicateswith the remote server 112 to identify the user associated with themobile electronic device 108 (step 450). The server 112 then determinesthat the user associated with the mobile electronic device 108 is thesame as the user to which the sub-inventory is assigned (step 454). Theserver 112 then sets the sub-inventory as the inventory for the user(step 458). The user interacts with the mobile inventory and reportingapplication as described previously, being able to add power tooldevices 104 to the sub-inventory, edit information of the power tooldevices 104 in the sub-inventory, etc. (step 462).

Launching the inventory and reporting application on the mobileelectronic device 108 also allows for location tracking of the powertool devices 104. As discussed above, each of the power tool devices 104is associated with a location. The location is an assigned location(e.g., where the power tool device is supposed to be). If a transfer ofpower tool devices 104 is desired, a user can use the inventory andreporting application to change the assigned location to track where thepower tool device 104 is being transported. The inventory and reportingapplication can also save, display, and output information regarding aparticular power tool device's location history. In other words, a usermay determine where the power tool device has been before and may beable to better determine a probable location for the power tool deviceif, for example, the power tool device 104 is misplaced.

For example, the location tracking would also enable a user at theexternal device 116 to determine that power tool devices 104 are to betransported from jobsite A to jobsite B. The users at both jobsite A andjobsite B may be notified via communication from the remote server 112that at least some of the power tool devices 104 from jobsite A are tobe transported to jobsite B. A user at jobsite A may then arrange forthe transportation of the power tool devices 104 according to thereceived notification.

In the illustrated embodiment, when a user launches the mobile inventoryand reporting application at the mobile electronic device 108, theinventory and reporting application also indicates the status of each ofthe power tool devices 104 to the user. The power tool devices 104 maybe in an advertisement state in which the power tool device 104 providesminimal identification information, but may not engage in furtherelectronic data transfer between the power tool device 104 and themobile electronic device 108. The power tool devices 104 mayalternatively be in the connectable state in which the power tool device104 provides identification information and may readily engage inelectronic data transfer between the power tool device 104 and themobile electronic device 108. Additionally, the mobile inventory andreporting application may indicate when a power tool is in use.

The inventory and reporting application also allows a user to analyzethe operation of a particular power tool device and generate technicalreports regarding the operation of the power tool device 104 or a groupof power tool devices 104. In the illustrated embodiment, the operationof a hydraulic crimper is analyzed and the user receives informationregarding the performance of the hydraulic crimper on both the mobileelectronic device 108 and the external device 116.

As discussed above, the mobile electronic device 108 can wirelesslycommunicate with communicating power tool devices 104 a-c. As alsodiscussed above, the mobile inventory and reporting application candisplay a list of nearby power tool devices. A user can select one ofthese devices, and the mobile inventory and reporting applicationdisplays a power tool device home screen 500 (FIG. 23) in response todetecting the user selection. The power tool device home screen 500varies based on the specific power tool device 104 selected by the user.For at least some of the power tool devices 104, the power tool devicehome screen 500 illustrates metrics on the performance of the specificpower tool device 104. The following example illustrates a home screen500 for a hydraulic crimper. The home screen 500 for the hydrauliccrimper provides metrics information 502 regarding the performance andoperation of the hydraulic crimper. Similar aspects of the home screen500 may be available for other power tool devices 104.

As shown in FIG. 24, the hydraulic crimper 510 includes an electricmotor 512, a pump 514 driven by the motor 512, a housing 522 defining acylinder 526 therein, and an extensible piston 530 disposed within thecylinder 526. The crimper 510 also includes electronic control andmonitoring circuitry (not shown) for controlling and/or monitoringvarious functions of the hydraulic power tool. As is described in moredetail below, the pump 514 provides pressurized hydraulic fluid to thepiston cylinder 526, causing the piston 530 to extend from the housing522 and thereby actuate a pair of jaws 532 for crimping a workpiece. Thejaws 532 are a part of a crimper head 572, which also includes a clevis574 for attaching the head 572 to a body of the crimper 510, whichotherwise includes the motor 512, pump 514, housing 522, and piston 530.The crimper head 572 can include different types of dies depending onthe size, shape, and material of the workpiece. For example, the diescan be used for electrical applications (e.g., wire and couplings) orplumbing applications (e.g., pipe and couplings). The size of the diecan depend on the size of the wire, pipe, or coupling. The shape formedby the die can be circular or another shape. The dies can be configuredto crimp various malleable materials and metals, such as copper (Cu) andaluminum (Al). Although FIG. 24 illustrates a hydraulic crimper 510, theinventions described herein and the interaction of the power tool devicewith the inventory and reporting application are applicable to a widerange of power tool devices (e.g., cutters, knockout punches, drills,etc.).

The crimper 510 also includes a wireless communication module 109 and aback-up power supply 110 as discussed with respect to FIG. 2. In theillustrated embodiment, however, the back-up power supply 110 ispositioned at a hard-to-access location of the crimper 510. To replacethe back-up power supply 110 on the crimper 510, a professional serviceperson takes apart some portions of the crimper 510 and replaces theback-up power supply 110. The crimper 510 transmits power tool operationdata to the mobile electronic device 108 through the wirelesscommunication module 109. In particular, the crimper 510 sends pressuredata and other sensor data for each operation (e.g., crimping) thecrimper 510 performs. The mobile electronic device 108 receives thepressure and sensor data from the crimper 510 and forwards the data tothe remote server 112. Referring back to FIG. 23, the home screen 500for the crimper 510 provides some overview information regarding thecrimper 510. In particular, the metrics information 502 of the homescreen 500 indicates a battery voltage/energy remaining on the back-uppower supply 110 of the crimper 510 and a number of cycles performed bythe crimper 510 since the last service was performed on the crimper 510.The home screen can alternatively or additionally provide other metricinformation to the user. For example, the home screen 500 can indicatetotal number of cycles completed by the crimper 510 and/or the totalnumber of full pressure cycles completed by the crimper 510, as shown inFIG. 26. In the illustrated embodiment, the user can select whichinformation is presented on the home screen 500 of the power tool device(e.g., by swiping left or right across the displayed information). Inother words, the mobile electronic device 108 may provide the user withdisplay options and store the user selected display options such thatthe next time the user enters the crimper home screen 500, the mobileelectronic device 108 displays the user's most recently elected choices.

The home screen 500 of the crimper 510, or any other power tool device,also includes a sync tool data selector 580 and a view tool detailsselector 585. Selecting the sync tool data selector 580 initiateselectronic data transfer from the crimper 510 to the mobile electronicdevice 108. The electronic data includes pressure and other sensor dataassociated with each operation the crimper 510 has performed since thelast sync. Selecting the view tool details selector 585 allows a user tochange tool information as discussed above with respect to the inventoryfeature. In some embodiments, the view tool details selector 585 alsoenables the user to configure modes for the crimper 510, changeoperating parameters, etc.

When the crimper 510 sends the operational data to the mobile electronicdevice 108, the mobile electronic device 108 compares the pressure datato a predetermined full pressure range (e.g., a high pressure thresholdand a low pressure threshold). For each operation completed by thecrimper 510, the mobile electronic device 108 determines whether thefinal pressure reached by the crimper 510 is within the predeterminedfull pressure range. If the final pressure is within the predeterminedfull pressure range, the crimper 510 is considered to have completed afull pressure cycle. If, however, the final pressure is outside (e.g.,below or above) the predetermined full pressure range, the crimper 510is considered to not have reached full pressure. This determination madeby the mobile electronic device 108 generates the counts shown in thehome screen 500 of the crimper 510. Specifically, by comparing thereceived final pressure information to the predetermined full pressurerange, the mobile electronic device 108 is able to determine how manycycles the crimper 510 has completed, and how many of the completedcycles were completed to full pressure 510, as shown in FIG. 26.

The mobile electronic device 108 communicates with the remote server 112to forward the final pressure data points, the total number of cyclescompleted by the crimper 510, and the total number of full pressurecycles completed by the crimper 510. The remote server 112 can store theperformance analysis for the crimper 510. When the inventory andreporting application is launched on the external device 116, theexternal device 116 communicates with the remote server 112 to receiveupdated information regarding the power tool devices 104.

The inventory and reporting application includes a reporting option 600when launched on the external device 116. Selecting the reporting option600 allows a user to have access to performance data for different powertool devices and generate meaningful reports on the performance ofspecific power tool devices or groups of power tool devices.

FIG. 25 is a flowchart showing a process 599 for generating a report onthe performance of one or more power tool devices 104. In theillustrated embodiment, the report quantifies the performance of thecrimper 510. In other embodiments, the generated report may quantify theperformance of other power tool devices. First, the inventory andreporting application detects an indication that the user selected thereporting option 600 (step 601). The inventory and reporting applicationthen generates a reporting start page 604, as shown in FIG. 27. Thereporting start page 604 includes a search field 606, a date range field608, a quick reporting area 612, and a power tool device list 616. Theinventory and reporting application receives an indication from the userregarding the specific type of power tool devices that the user wishesto analyze (step 617). In the illustrated embodiments, a filterselection (see search field 606) has been entered such that onlycrimpers are displayed on the reporting start page 604. In someembodiments, a report can be generated for one power tool device 104 ormultiple power tool devices 104 of the same type (e.g., three crimpers,or two impact wrenches, etc.). In other embodiments, the report caninclude different portions, each dedicated to one power tool device 104or one type of power tool devices 104. The different portions can thenbe presented to the user as a single report.

The inventory and reporting application generates common performancemetrics applicable to all the displayed power tool devices 104 anddisplays the common performance metrics on the quick reporting area(step 618). The quick reporting area 612 indicates select metricsrelated to the operation of the power tool devices listed. In FIG. 27,the quick reporting area 612 shows a total number of cycles performed bythe crimpers 510 collectively, a total number of full pressure cycles,and a percentage of the full pressure cycles compared to the totalnumber of cycles. In the illustrated start page 604, only one type ofpower tool device 104 is shown. However, in other instances, commonperformance metrics for different tool types are shown. In otherinstances, when the reporting start page 604 is not restricted by afilter to a specific type of power tool device 104, the inventory andreporting application may not display any performance metrics on thequick reporting area 612 and step 618 is bypassed.

In the illustrated embodiment, the power tool device list 616 includesonly crimpers. The crimpers shown in the power tool device list 616provide the power tool usage data to generate the common performancemetrics shown in the quick reporting area 612. Once the user hasspecified the type of power tool devices to be used, the user alsospecifies the date range for the report. The date range field 608 isused to specify a particular time period for which power tool deviceperformance is analyzed. In one example, the performance report is runfour times per year. In other embodiments, the performance report may berun more or less frequently. As shown in FIG. 28, the user can selectspecific dates to run the performance report. The inventory andreporting application receives the user's indication of the date rangefor the report and uses the specified date range to limit the power toolusage data used in the creation of the report (step 619). In someembodiments, the user may not need to specify particular dates. Rather,the inventory and reporting application may provide common options fordate ranges such as, for example, one week, one month, one quarter, oneyear, etc.

The list 616 of power tool devices, specifically crimpers 510, providesinformation to the user regarding the power tool devices. Theinformation shown to the user is received by the external device 116from the server 112. As shown in FIG. 27, the list 616 provides an image620 of the specific power tool device, a tool and/or serial number 624,a model number and/or description of the power tool device 628, alocation 632, the date on which the power tool device was last synced636, number of cycles completed 640 since the crimper 510 was serviced,and an indication of the percentage of remaining voltage on the back-uppower supply 644. The indication of remaining voltage on the back-uppower supply 644 is helpful, in particular, for those power tool devices104 in which the back-up power supply is inaccessible to an operator ofthe power tool device 104 (e.g., the crimper 510).

As shown in FIG. 27, some of the power tool devices may also include awarning icon 645 when an aspect of the power tool device (e.g., thecrimper 510) that is to be addressed. For example, the inventory andreporting application may display a warning icon 645 associated with aparticular power tool device 104 when the voltage percentage of theback-up power supply 110 drops below a certain threshold. Such a warningicon 645 alerts the user to take the power tool device 104 (e.g., thecrimper 510) to a service center to replace the back-up power supply110. In some embodiments, the power tool device 104 itself can output awarning indication (e.g., a red light, a vibration, sound, etc.) whenthe back-up power supply 110 is approaching a low voltage threshold. Inother embodiments, the power tool device 104 provides no indication ofthe voltage level of the back-up power supply 110, and the user relieson the inventory and reporting application to be alerted when theback-up power supply 110 is to be replaced. The inventory and reportingapplication may additionally or alternatively display a warning icon 645when the number of cycles since the last service approaches or exceeds acertain threshold. As shown in FIG. 27, some of the warning icons 645may be more or less dark or apparent than others. With respect to thewarning icon 645 displayed based on the number of cycles since the lastservice, the warning icon may appear darker and darker as the number ofcycles since the last service increases and thereby approaches thepredetermined threshold.

From the list 616 of the power tool devices, the user can also selectone or more power tool devices (e.g., crimper 510) to analyze theirperformance by selecting specific checkboxes 646 shown in FIG. 28. Theinventory and reporting application receives an indication from the userspecifying one or more power tool devices 104 for which performance datais to be analyzed (step 647). As shown in FIG. 29, when the user selectsone of the crimpers (or other power tool device 104), the inventory andreporting application displays an information screen 650 for each of theselected power tool devices 104 (step 651). The information screen 650contains general information regarding the crimper 510. In particular,the information screen 650 includes the power tool device name 654, adate range 658, a specific customer (if applicable) 662, a job name (ifapplicable) 666, an operator 670, notes 674, and other relevantinformation. In the illustrated embodiment, the user selected power tooldevice number 2757-20. The inventory and reporting application displaysthis information to the user to provide the user an opportunity toverify that the crimper selected is the correct crimper.

After the user sufficiently verified the information shown on theinformation screen 650, the inventory and reporting application displaysan alert screen 680 to the user (step 682). The alert screen 680, asshown in FIG. 30, is based on the number of cycles for which the crimper510 did not achieve full pressure. More particularly, the alert screen680 includes one or more alerts 684. Each alert 684 provides informationregarding a cycle of the crimping machine. For example, as shown in FIG.30, the alert 684 includes a cycle number, a date and time associatedwith the detected failure, the maximum pressure reached by the crimper,and a text box. In some embodiments, the alert 684 also includes a toolidentifier (e.g., the tool name, the tool serial and/or model number,etc.). A user can determine whether the alert 684 is substantive, andmay include notes in the text box explaining why the crimper 510 failedto reach full pressure and/or what actions were taken to compensate forthe crimper 510 not reaching full pressure. In some embodiments, theinventory and reporting application does not continue to generate areport until each of the alerts 684 has been addressed by the user bytyping characters into the text box. In the embodiments for which morethan one power tool device 104 was selected to be included in thereport, the alert screen 680 may include alerts pertaining to more thanone power tool device 104. The user then addresses different alertspertaining to different power tool devices 104 from a single screen.

After addressing the alerts 684, the inventory and reporting applicationgenerates a report that analyzes the performance of one or more specificpower tool devices (step 686). As shown in FIG. 31, the report includesoverview information such as, for example, a date range for the report,a customer, a job name, an operator, etc. The report also identifies thetools analyzed while performing the report. The tools analyzed for thegenerated report are listed under the heading “Tools.” In otherembodiments, the heading may be different. In the illustratedembodiment, the report is generated for two crimpers. Additionally, thereport includes a quick reporting area 688 for providing high-levelindicators of the performance of the one or more power tool devices. Inthe illustrated embodiments, the quick reporting area 688 includesinformation regarding the total number of cycles completed by thecrimpers 510 included in the report, the total number of full pressurecycles, and the percentage of total full pressure cycles. In otherembodiments, other performance measures may be displayed in the quickreporting area 688. In particular, the quick reporting area 688 and thenature of the alerts changes based on the power tool device beinganalyzed. For example, if a torque specific tool was being analyzed, thequick reporting area 688 may include information about the total numberof fastening applications, the number of fastening application thatreached optimal torque, etc. Also, to generate the performance metricsshown in the quick reporting area 688 and in the rest of the report, theinventory and reporting application may process data from more than onepower tool device 104. For example, the inventory and reportingapplication may be summed, averaged, or otherwise combined for displayon the report. Additionally or alternatively, the data for each powertool device 104 may be displayed separately.

The report also includes a graphical display 690 illustrating specificdata points of the performance data. In the illustrated embodiments, thegraphical display 609 includes information regarding the final pressurereached by the crimper 510 and the full pressure range. As shown in FIG.31, a couple of data points are noticeably outside of the full pressurerange, thereby indicating that at least two cycles were not completed tofull pressure. Below the graphical display, the report includes thealerts 684 addressed as part of the alert screen 680. In otherembodiments, the layout of the report may be different. For example, thealerts 684 may be positioned elsewhere on the screen, and/or the generalinformation may also be placed elsewhere.

Although the reports generated by the inventory and reportingapplication were only described in relation to the crimper, similarmethods can be followed for other and different electric power tooldevices. Additionally, although the generated report was illustrated ina particular set-up, other arrangements of information may beimplemented based on user preferences and/or specific power tooldevices.

FIG. 32 illustrates an exemplary method 700 of determining power toolattendance. The mobile electronic device 108 receives a list of a firstplurality of power tools (step 704). As described above, the list may bean inventory of power tools assigned to the user of the mobileelectronic device 108. As described above, the mobile electronic device108 may receive the list from the remote server 112. Alternatively, asdescribed above, the user of the mobile electronic device 108 may createthe list of the first plurality of power tools (i.e., the user'sinventory) at the mobile electronic device 108, for example, by creatingan inventory via the touch display 212 of the mobile electronic device108.

The mobile electronic device 108 receives a selection to detect nearbytools (step 708). As described above, the mobile electronic device 108may receive the selection when a user selects a “tool attendance”selector on the inventory screen 236 of FIG. 10. The mobile electronicdevice 108 receives identification signals from a second plurality ofpower tools within communication range of the mobile electronic device108 (step 712). As described above, the power tools 104 a-c broadcastidentification information for the power tool device 104. The mobileelectronic device 108 detects which power tool devices 104 are nearbybased on the broadcast signals from the power tool devices 104. Thepower tools devices 104 may broadcast the signals periodically(unprompted by an external device) or may broadcast in response to aping from the mobile electronic device 108.

The mobile electronic device 108 determines that a subset of the firstplurality of power tools is not nearby (i.e., missing) based on theidentification signals received (step 716). As described above, themobile electronic device 108 compares the list of the first plurality ofelectronic device to the second plurality of electronic devices. Themobile electronic device 108 determines which of the first plurality ofelectronic devices are or not found nearby based on the identificationsignals. The subset of the first plurality of electronic devices mayinclude only one power tool 104 or multiple power tools 104. That is,the mobile electronic device 108 may determine that one or more of thefirst plurality of power tools is or not found nearby by determiningthat a signal was not received from the one or more power tools 104making up the subset within a predetermined time period. Thus, theabsence of a signal from a particular power tool 104 indicates to themobile electronic device 108 that the particular tool is not nearby. Themobile electronic device 108 generates an indication that the subset ofthe first plurality of power tools is not nearby (i.e., missing) (step720). As described above, the mobile electronic device 108 may displaythe subset of the first plurality of power tools on the touch display212.

In some embodiments, the inventory and reporting application receives,from one or more mobile electronic devices 108, the voltage levels ofthe back-up power supplies 110 of a plurality of the power tools 104. Asdescribed above, the one or more mobile electronic devices 108 receivethe voltage levels of the back-up power supplies 110 wirelessly from therespective power tools 104 via respective wireless communicationcontrollers 109. The inventory and reporting application, in turn,generates a list of the power tools 104 and the voltage levels of therespective back-up power supplies 110. Additionally, the inventory andreporting application determines whether each voltage level is below afirst low battery threshold and whether each voltage level is below asecond low battery threshold. The second low battery threshold is alower level than the first low battery threshold and is indicative of aback-up power supply being nearer to depletion and in need ofreplacement. The inventory and reporting application then generates anindication (e.g., warning icon 645) for each power tool having a back-uppower supply 110 with a voltage level below the first or second lowbattery threshold. For example, with reference to FIG. 27, the inventoryand reporting application may generate a list of the power tools 104along with a low battery indication for each power tool 104 having aback-up power supply 110 having a voltage level below the first orsecond low battery threshold. For example, in FIG. 27, a warning icon645 having a first form is used to indicate a back-up power supply 110at 10% is below the first low battery threshold, and a warning icon 645having a second form, which is darker than the first form, is used toindicate a back-up power supply at 4% is below the second low batterythreshold.

FIG. 33 illustrates an example method 724 for adding a power tool deviceto an inventory list. The mobile electronic device 108 receives arequest to add a nearby power tool device (step 728). The mobileelectronic device 108 receives the request from a user interface (forexample, the touch display 212). As described above, the mobileelectronic device 108 may receive the request when a user selects theadd item option 248 on the inventory screen 236 of FIG. 10.

The mobile electronic device 108 receives identification signals from aplurality of power tool devices 104 within communication range of themobile electronic device 108 (at step 732). As described above, thepower tools 104 a-c broadcast identification information for the powertool device 104. The mobile electronic device 108 detects which powertool devices 104 are nearby based on the broadcast signals from thepower tool devices 104. The power tools devices 104 may broadcast thesignals periodically (unprompted by an external device) or may broadcastin response to a ping from the mobile electronic device 108.

The mobile electronic device 108 displays identification information ofthe plurality of power tool devices 104 (at step 736). For example, themobile electronic device 108 displays the identification information ona touch display 212 of the mobile electronic device 108. The mobileelectronic device 108 receives a selection of a power tool device 104from the plurality of power tool devices 104 (at step 740). As describedabove, the mobile electronic device 108 receives the selection of thepower tool device 104 when the user selects the power tool device 104 onthe touch display 212 of the mobile electronic device 108.

The mobile electronic device 108 adds the power tool device 104 to theinventory list (at step 744). As described above, the mobile electronicdevice 108 and the inventory and reporting application save theinformation of the power tool device 104 to the inventory list. Theinventory list may be stored on the remote server 112.

In some embodiments, another process is provided for adding a new powertool device using the mobile electronic device 108 to an inventory of auser. With reference to FIG. 14, the user selects the add a nearbydevice (option 264) from the add item screen 252. The inventory andreporting application receives signals from the communicating power tooldevices 104 a-c within communication range of the mobile electronicdevice 108. The signals from the communicating power tool devices 104a-c include identification information for each power tool device. Theidentification information includes, for example, a customized nameassociated with the power tool device, a model number, a uniqueidentifier, a tool number, etc. In some embodiments, the power tooldevices 104 may periodically broadcast the identification informationfor the power tool device 104 without requiring a ping signal from themobile electronic device 108, and in other embodiments, the mobiledevice 108 sends a ping signal and the power tool devices 104 that arenearby (i.e., within communication range) reply with the signalincluding identification information.

The inventory and reporting application then compares the receivedresponses to the power tool devices already in the inventory of theuser. If a received response corresponds to a power tool device 104 thatis already part of the inventory, the inventory and reportingapplication does not display that power tool device 104 to the user andcontinues to check the rest of the responses (step 282). If, on theother hand, the received response corresponds to a power tool device 104that is not part of the inventory, the inventory and reportingapplication displays the power tool device 104 to the user (step 286).Thereby, the inventory and reporting application only displays thosepower tool devices 104 that are nearby and that are not already part ofthe inventory for the user. See, for example, FIG. 15, which illustratesa list generated by the inventory and reporting application thatidentifies a power tool device that is nearby and not yet part of theuser's inventory. The mobile device 108 then receives a user selectionof one of the listed power tools, and, in response, adds the power toolto the inventory of the user.

FIG. 34 illustrates an example method 748 for analyzing metricsinformation of a power tool device 104. The mobile electronic device 108receives identification signals from a plurality of power tool devices104 within communication range of the mobile electronic device 108 (atstep 752). As described above, the power tools 104 a-c broadcastidentification information for the power tool device 104. The mobileelectronic device 108 detects which power tool devices 104 are nearbybased on the broadcast signals from the power tool devices 104. Thepower tools devices 104 may broadcast the signals periodically(unprompted by an external device) or may broadcast in response to aping from the mobile electronic device 108.

The mobile electronic device 108 displays identification information ofthe plurality of power tool devices 104 (at step 756). As describedabove, the mobile electronic device 108 may display the identificationinformation on a touch display 212 of the mobile electronic device 108.The mobile electronic device 108 receives a selection of a power tooldevice 104 to be analyzed from the plurality of power tool devices 104(at step 760). As described above, the mobile electronic device 108 mayreceive the selection of the power tool device 104 when the user selectsthe power tool device 104 on the touch display 212 of the mobileelectronic device 108.

The mobile electronic device 108 receives metrics information regardingthe power tool device 104 in response to the selection of the power tooldevice 104 to be analyzed (at step 764). As described above, the mobileelectronic device 108 receives metrics information of the power tooldevice 104 via the short-range transceiver, for example over aBluetooth® connection. The power tool device 104 may transmit themetrics information when it receives a request from the mobileelectronic device 108 in response to the selection or a further userinput (e.g., by selecting the sync tool data selector 580 (FIG. 23)).

The mobile electronic device 108 displays the metrics information forthe power tool device (at step 768). As described above, the mobileelectronic device 108 may display the metrics information on a touchdisplay 212 of the mobile electronic device 108 (see, e.g., FIGS. 23 and26).

Throughout the above description, reference is made to the inventory andreporting application or other software as taking action (e.g.,receiving, generating, displaying, and the like). Such actions may beperformed by the device on which the application or software is beingexecuted (e.g., the mobile device 108 or the external device 116) inresponse to or based on the execution of the application or software onthat device.

Thus, the invention provides, among other things, a system that allows auser to control, manage, and maintain a large number of power tooldevices. Various features and advantages of the invention are set forthin the following claims.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A method for sectioning power toolinventory comprising: generating, at an external device, a sub-inventoryof power tool devices based on a full inventory of power tool devices;assigning, at the external device, the sub-inventory of power tooldevices to a user; communicating, by the external device, thesub-inventory of power tool devices and user assignment to the remoteserver for storage on the remote server; identifying, with a mobileelectronic device to the remote server, that the user is associated withthe mobile electronic device; transmitting, from the remote server, thesub-inventory of power tool devices as an inventory for the user of themobile electronic device; and displaying the sub-inventory of the powertool devices on the mobile electronic device.
 2. The method of claim 1,wherein generating the sub-inventory further comprises: receiving aselection of a plurality of power tool devices of the full inventory ofpower tool devices; and grouping the plurality of power tool devicestogether in response to receiving the selection of the plurality ofpower tool devices.
 3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:receiving, via a user interface of the mobile electronic device, arequest to add a nearby power tool device to the sub-inventory of powertool devices; receiving, via a short-range transceiver of the mobileelectronic device, identification signals from a plurality of power tooldevices; displaying, via the user interface, identification informationof the plurality of power tool devices; receiving, via the userinterface, a selection of a power tool device from the plurality ofpower tool devices displayed on the user interface; and adding, using aprocessor of the mobile electronic device, the power tool deviceselected from the plurality of power tool devices to the inventory list.4. The method of claim 3, further comprising: determining that theplurality of power tool devices is not in the sub-inventory of powertool devices, wherein displaying the identification information of theplurality of power tool devices is based on determining that theplurality of power tool devices is not in the sub-inventory of powertool devices.
 5. The method of claim 3, further comprising transmitting,via the short-range transceiver, a broadcast message in response toreceiving the request to add a nearby power tool device to thesub-inventory of power tool devices, wherein receiving theidentification signals from the plurality of power tool devices occursin response to the broadcast message.
 6. The method of claim 3, furthercomprising sending an update for the sub-inventory of power tool devicesto the remote server, the update including the power tool deviceselected from the plurality of power tool devices.
 7. The method ofclaim 1, further comprising: receiving, via a user interface of themobile electronic device, a selection to detect nearby power tooldevices; receiving, via a short-range transceiver of the mobileelectronic device, identification signals from a plurality of power tooldevices; determining, using a processor of the mobile electronic device,that a subset of the sub-inventory of power tool devices is missingbased on the identification signals; and generating, using theprocessor, an indication that the subset of the sub-inventory of powertool devices is missing.
 8. The method of claim 7, further comprisinggenerating, using the processor, an indication that the plurality ofpower tool devices are nearby.
 9. The method of claim 1, furthercomprising receiving, at the external device, the full inventory ofpower tool devices from the remote server.
 10. The method of claim 1,further comprising: receiving, via a user interface of the mobileelectronic device, a selection of a power tool device to be analyzedfrom the sub-inventory of power tool devices; receiving, via a shortrange transceiver of the mobile electronic device, metrics informationregarding the power tool device in response to the selection of thepower tool device to be analyzed; and displaying, via the userinterface, the metrics information of the power tool device.
 11. Themethod of claim 10, further comprising: transmitting, via a networkinterface of the mobile electronic device, the metrics informationassociated with the power tool device to the remote server for storageon the remote server.
 12. A method for sectioning power tool inventorycomprising: providing, by a remote server, a full inventory of powertool devices to an external device; receiving, by the remote server, aplurality of sub-inventories of power tool devices from the externaldevice, wherein each of the plurality of sub-inventories is assigned toa respective user of a plurality of users; updating, by the remoteserver, inventory information based on the plurality of sub-inventoriesof power tool devices; transmitting, by the remote server,identification information of a user of a mobile electronic device fromthe mobile electronic device, the user being one of the plurality ofusers; determining, by the remote server, a sub-inventory of power tooldevices of the plurality of sub-inventories of power tool devices thatis associated with the user of the mobile electronic device; andproviding, by the remote server, the sub-inventory of power tool devicesto the mobile electronic device.
 13. The method of claim 12, furthercomprising receiving, from the mobile electronic device, an update tothe sub-inventory of power tool devices for storage on the remote serverbased on the mobile electronic device adding a power tool device to thesub-inventory of power tool devices.
 14. The method of claim 12, furthercomprising receiving, from the mobile electronic device, metricsinformation associated with a power tool device of the sub-inventory ofpower tool.
 15. A method for sectioning power tool inventory comprising:receiving, at an external device, a full inventory of power tool devicesfrom a remote server; generating, at the external device, asub-inventory of power tool devices based on the full inventory of powertool devices; assigning, at the external device, the sub-inventory ofpower tool devices to a user; and communicating, by the external device,with the remote server to update inventory information on the remoteserver to include the sub-inventory of power tool devices and anassociation of the sub-inventory of the power tool devices to the user.16. The method of claim 15, wherein generating the sub-inventory furthercomprises: receiving a selection of a plurality of power tool devices ofthe full inventory of power tool devices; and grouping the plurality ofpower tool devices together in response to receiving the selection ofthe plurality of power tool devices.
 17. The method of claim 15, furthercomprising: receiving, on a user interface of the external device, aselection of a reporting option; and generating, on the user interface,a reporting start page simultaneously displaying a date range field anda list of the sub-inventory of power tool devices in response toreceiving the selection of the reporting option.
 18. The method of claim17, further comprising: receiving, on the user interface, selection of apower tool device to be analyzed from the list of the sub-inventory ofpower tool devices; and generating, on the user interface, a report ofperformance of the power tool device in response to receiving theselection of the power tool device to be analyzed.
 19. The method ofclaim 18, further comprising receiving, on the user interface, aselection of a data range in association with the selection of the powertool device, wherein the report includes performance of the power tooldevice for the selected data range.
 20. The method of claim 18, furthercomprising generating, on the user interface, an alert screen displayingone or more alerts concerning the power tool device in response toreceiving the selection of the power tool device to be analyzed.